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  • #1

    Bester's Hand

    I've just finished the Psi Corps trilogy and it makes mention of Bester's permenantly gripped left hand. Now my memories of the show are not entirely accurate (blame the alcohol ) but I'm wondering was this something JMS wrote for Walter to play or did he adapt it to suit an inury that Walter had?
    Any thoughts folks
    Phaze
    on the "posting here again, back after an abscence but I Can assure you I have returned" ID
    Last edited by phazedout; 01-19-2007, 03:50 AM.
    "There are no good wars. War is always the worst possible way to resolve differences. It degenerates and corrupts both sides to ever more sordid levels of existence, in their need to gain an advantage over the enemy. Those actively involved in combat are almost always damaged goods for the rest of their lives. If their bodies don't bear scars, their minds do, ofttimes both. Many have said it before, but it can't be said to enough, war is hell. "
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Welcome back! As for Bester's hand, JMS says here:

    From: J. Michael Straczynski <[email protected]>
    Subject: MOMENTS
    To: CIS
    Date: 5/23/1997 9:30:00 AM

    Jonathan Kass <[email protected]> asks:
    > FIRST A QUESTION I HOPE YOU CAN ANSWER - Was / Is there something
    > wrong with Walter Koenig? ANOTHER QUESTION - some of us
    > knuckleheads have been off arguing over who is / was Control -
    > was Control Talia? Was that established?
    > Or is there still another "traitor" in their midst?
    > Oh and did you hear / would you believe the voice-over teaser
    > right before the episode started in LA said "Delenn surrenders to
    > the Warrior Caste, and Sheridan declares war on Earth"????

    Thanks. As for Walter...he made the decision to play Bester
    with a deformed or useless hand, which he's compensating for as a teep.

    jms
    I don't know if the 'history' that's in the books is something the author came up with or if it was in the outline JMS did, though.

    Jan
    "As empathy spreads, civilization spreads. As empathy contracts, civilization contracts...as we're seeing now.

    Comment

    • #3
      I wonder is it a nod to Hitler? In the excellent film Downfall (depressing but still good) Adolf is picutred after the bunker bombing with one hand tucked behind his back and twitching as he can no longer use it.
      Phaze
      on the "could also be a ref to napoleon" ID
      "There are no good wars. War is always the worst possible way to resolve differences. It degenerates and corrupts both sides to ever more sordid levels of existence, in their need to gain an advantage over the enemy. Those actively involved in combat are almost always damaged goods for the rest of their lives. If their bodies don't bear scars, their minds do, ofttimes both. Many have said it before, but it can't be said to enough, war is hell. "

      Comment

      • #4
        I never noticed Bester had a deformed hand, I'll have to pay more attention next time. Reminds me of Radar in M*A*S*H, the actor in that show really did have a deformed hand. He always carried a clipboard or something in that hand to hide the fact but in a few scenes if you pay attention, you can tell it's smaller than normal. A roommate pointed this out to me about 20 years ago.
        Ranger Code

        We walk in the places no others will enter.
        We do not break away from combat.
        We stand on the bridge and no one may pass.
        We do not retreat whatever the reason.
        We live for The One, we die for The One.

        Comment

        • #5
          I thought that I remembered reading something about Walter Koenig suggesting it to JMS and JMS liking the idea of someone with extra mental abilities be have a slight physical disability. I could be making that up though.

          Comment

          • #6
            As noted, Walter came up with the idea purely as an acting choice. Whether Keyes came up with the backstory as it appears in the novel or JMS added that detail when he outlined the books is an open question. If I remember I'll ask him on the newsgroup. Can't promise that he'll answer, though. I hear he's been kinda busy lately.

            Regards,

            Joe
            Joseph DeMartino
            Sigh Corps
            Pat Tallman Division

            Comment

            • #7
              And there was I thinking it might be because he burned it on the Enterprise weapons console in TMP

              Comment

              • #8
                Originally posted by RMcD View Post
                And there was I thinking it might be because he burned it on the Enterprise weapons console in TMP
                I was just thinking about that today but not in those terms. He mentioned in his diary that he was burned for real when the chemicals under his costume leaked out or didn't work as planned for that scene but they used his real reactions in the movie, so he wasn't acting in that scene.
                Ranger Code

                We walk in the places no others will enter.
                We do not break away from combat.
                We stand on the bridge and no one may pass.
                We do not retreat whatever the reason.
                We live for The One, we die for The One.

                Comment

                • #9
                  Originally posted by JohnFourtyTwo View Post
                  I was just thinking about that today but not in those terms. He mentioned in his diary that he was burned for real when the chemicals under his costume leaked out or didn't work as planned for that scene but they used his real reactions in the movie, so he wasn't acting in that scene.
                  His character had such a bad time in those films.. he got his hand burned in that one, a leech stuck in his head in the next one, ended up in a coma in number 4 and got brain controlled in number 5. I don't think anything bad happened to him in number 3, unless you count the civilian outfit they designed for him.. It's no wonder he preferred playing Bester..

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Joseph DeMartino View Post
                    If I remember I'll ask him on the newsgroup. Can't promise that he'll answer, though. I hear he's been kinda busy lately.

                    Regards,

                    Joe

                    Really, on what?
                    http://www.lddb.com/collection.php?a...er=dgtwoodward
                    Yes, I still collect Laserdiscs!!
                    47" Phillips 1080p 46" Samsung 1080p Toshiba HD-30E (2 both Multi Region) PS3-80G 120G BR Multi-Region Maidstone MD-BR-2102 Sky-HD Freesat-HD Pioneer DVL-909 CLD-D925 CLD-2950 (AC3) CLD-D515 CLD S315 Yamaha ADP-1 Meridian 519 Pioneer 609 (DD/DTS) x 2 Speakers & subs Jammo M/S Pioneer Technics Sony Eltax Akai Aiwa

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Originally posted by RMcD View Post
                      His character had such a bad time in those films.. he got his hand burned in that one, a leech stuck in his head in the next one, ended up in a coma in number 4 and got brain controlled in number 5. I don't think anything bad happened to him in number 3, unless you count the civilian outfit they designed for him.. It's no wonder he preferred playing Bester..
                      He must've been a Redshirt before switching over to Gold. Yeah, in 3 he looked like he was wearing a schoolboy uniform or something. Some people have commented that it reminded them of the little Dutch Boy paint logo.
                      Ranger Code

                      We walk in the places no others will enter.
                      We do not break away from combat.
                      We stand on the bridge and no one may pass.
                      We do not retreat whatever the reason.
                      We live for The One, we die for The One.

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Originally posted by JohnFourtyTwo View Post
                        He must've been a Redshirt before switching over to Gold. Yeah, in 3 he looked like he was wearing a schoolboy uniform or something. Some people have commented that it reminded them of the little Dutch Boy paint logo.
                        Well, who knows what will be fashionable in the 23rd and a half century? Ducks?

                        Comment

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